PERSPECTIVE - THOUGHTS UPDATE - JANUARY 2023
It is probably a good idea for us to review our thoughts and beliefs from time to time. Our thoughts and ideas invariably change with time as we learn and gain more experience in life. That should not be surprising to anyone and should be welcomed as proof of our continued existence and capacity for continued learning. In that vein, I present the following concerning a few of what I consider the most salient ideas discussed in my 2009 book,”A Path To The Gold”
In going through this exercise, it occurred to me that reassessing thoughts and ideas many times is brought about by more carefully considering perspective. By perspective, I specifically mean how everything fits together in nature. How compatible are our beliefs with our observations of the world, the cosmos and the universe. I find it’s far too easy to become myopic i.e., to view ourselves, our ideas and our capabilities as being much more relevant and important than they deserve to be. For example, our knowledge. Yes, we humans have created some wonderful things, the automobile, the airplane, rockets capable of going into outer space, computers and on and on. But how great is all of this with respect to the total sum of knowledge in the Universe. I’ve suggested that it is barely a scratch on an unbelievably enormous surface. I like the way one of the world’s greatest scientists, Isaac Newton, father of classical theoretical physics, says it “What we know is a drop, what we do not know is a vast ocean”. That’s what I mean by putting things in perspective. This is a recurring theme throughout the following topics. But I emphasize, if Newton regards his body of knowledge “a drop”, I must regard mine as one atom in that drop. Anyone going on this journey with me should keep that perspective in mind.
As a starting point, it might be beneficial to remind ourselves just how insignificant we are from the perspective of the total universe. We might begin by considering the full range of time and space. summarized below are some of the most relevant facts as presently determined and understood by our most highly respected men and women of science, the astrophysicists, cosmologists, classical physicists and particle physicists of the world.
Size:
Diameter of the Universe —————————————93 billion light yrs
Diameter of the Milky Way Galaxy ————————— 100,000 light yrs
Diameter of the Solar system———————————- 172 billion miles
Diameter of the Sun———————————————- 855,390 miles
Diameter of the Earth———————————————8,000 miles
Distance of Earth to Edge of Universe——————— 46 billion light yrs
Farthest Visible Galaxi (GNx11) from Earth————- 13.5 billion light yrs
Note! 1 lighter = 5.88 trillion miles
Time
Age of the Universe———————————————-13.7 billion yrs
Age of our Milky Way Galaxy———————————-13.6 billion yrs
Age of our Solar System—————————————- 4.5 billion yrs
Age of the Earth—————————————————- 4.5 billion yrs
Age of Life on Earth———————————————— 3.7 billion yrs
Age of Modern Man———————————————— 200 thousand yrs
Age of Earliest Measurements by Man————————-5.5 thousand yrs
Age of first scientific study by Man——————————5.0 thousand yrs
Speed of light ———————————————————186,000 mi/sec
Time for light to travel from sun to earth————————8 1/3 min
Time for light to travel across milky way galaxy—————200,000 yrs
time for light to travel from closest galaxy to earth———-2.5 million yrs
(Andromeda Galaxy)
Thus, as we begin a discussion of reality, consider that what we see as we turn our telescopes to the sky is history, often millions to billions of years old and the current appearance of the heavens, today 2/3/2023 will not be seen for millions to billions of years in the future, e.g., 2.5 million years for the Andomeda galaxy and nearly 46 billion years for anything that is today near the edge of the Universe, plus a little extra time to accommodate additional expansion of the Universe that takes place in the interim.
Question: Have we ever or will we ever see anything in the Universe as it exists at that moment? Answer: NO. In this sense, we will never know current reality as it is at any specific moment in time. We will only know what it was in the past, from 8 1/3 min ago in the case of the sun to 13.5 billion years ago in the case of galaxy GNz11.
While “cosmic reality” may not be that aspect of reality that most of us are concerned with on a day to day basis, tt is an essential component of the spectrum of information/knowledge that astrophysicists utilize in studying and formulating their theories of “everything”. This information is central to their theories regarding the creation, future and fate of the Universe. Anyone interested in taking a glimpse into the fascinating world of astrophysics would benefit by reading a short book by Katie Mack, “The End Of Everything”. While this book explores five possible ways the Universe might end, it is much more than that. It is a wonderful introduction to the subject of astrophysics. The New York Times calls it “Engrossing, elegant” and The Wall Street Journal says “Mack’s infectious enthusiasm for communicating the finer points of cosmological doom elevates The End of Everything over any other books on the topic.”
Reality Revisited
Initially, I thought this would be an easy place to start in revisiting my former views of things but have quickly learned that, in fact, discussing reality may be one of the most difficult if not the most challenging.
I suppose that one should start with the Cambridge English Dictionary definition of reality so here it is:
reality (noun)
the state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be:
Putting aside the enormous complexities of space and time described above and probing a bit farther, a number of more mundane complexities are revealed that are not contained in the above dictionary definition. Another dictionary citation suggested that there are actually 3 kinds of reality, objective reality, subjective reality and intersubjective reality. I’ve previously suggested that there are two types of reality, objective and subjective. Intersubjective reality is a new one on me but simply means subjective reality simultaneously held by two or more people. So, if I can find someone else who has seen pink elephants running around the block late at night, that’s an example of intersubjective reality. Is that a higher level of reality than if I am the only one who has seen these cavorting pachyderms, an example of subjective reality or, as suggested, maybe its not reality at all. Maybe it is a delusion. A delusion is a false or imagined state of things but, how do you prove that it’s a delusion? The above pachyderm situation is a silly example that nearly everyone would dismiss as a delusion with zero chance of being a true component of reality but how do you actually prove that it is a delusion? Now, a tougher one, what about the existence of God? This would have to be called an example of intersubjective reality because it’s a concept held to be true by roughly 75 - 80% of the worlds nearly 8 billion inhabitants. Good luck proving that is a delusion. Maybe proof is not what should be sought, primarily because it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to prove a negative. How about using logic, i .e., rational thought? The problem is that is also a very difficult road to hoe.
The ultimate difficulty in dismissing subjective ideas of reality comes from science. We all realize that the universe is vast beyond comprehension, not only in terms of space and matter but also in terms of information,/potential knowledge. If we are being truthful, we realize that as humans we collectively likely only possess a tiny fraction of all knowledge in the universe or maybe the multiverse. We only know what we detect with our five senses. How much information is out there that is undetectable by those five senses? In my opinion it’s likely that there is a lot, maybe so much that it is also beyond our comprehension.
The other piece of information comes from what we have learned from science of the quantum world. For some of us, our first exposure to this strange world came from results of the double slit experiment where the mere presence of a human observer is able to determine the results. Quantum studies have taught us that at the quantum level, each observer is able to construct his own facts*. Thus, there is scientific proof that you and I can observe the same phenomenon in the quantum world and come away with two separate and independent sets of facts and conclusions, both equally valid. However, in quantum physics, we’re dealing with the much more rigid nut, objective reality. So, if objective reality can vary from person to person, certainly subjective reality can vary as well. For example while your logic and rational thought lead you to believe a God does not exist, someone else’s logic and rational thought may tell them that God does exist. Perhaps, differing conclusions should not be dismissed simply on the grounds that no concrete proof can be pointed to or that something is inconsistent with your particular belief.
* Phillipe Granger, Institute of Optics, Palaiseauy (2017), France and Arian Cho (Physics 10/17/2017)
In 2017, Phillippe Grangier, Institute of Optics, Palaiseau, France and Arian Cho report in Physics 10/17/2017 “by bouncing photons off satellites, the team has confirmed that an observer can make the decision (particle or wave) depending on how they measure it - even after a photon has made its way almost completely through the experiment - seemingly well past the point at which it would become either a wave or a particle.”
In 2019, Caslav Brukner, University of Vienna wrote “in the micro-world of atoms and particles that is governed by the strange rules of quantum mechanics, two different observers are entitled to their own facts. In other words, according to our best theory of the building blocks of nature itself, facts can actually be subjective.” (Phys/Org 11/14/2019)
This all brings to mind the concept on “biocentrism” as described by Robert Lanza. Could it be that without a biological consciousness there is no reality. Perhaps all of existence depends on such a consciousness. Without biological organisms, there is nothing.
Additionally, there is the age old thought exercise asking if there is a noise when a tree falls in the forest and there is no-one around. The answer, of course, is no. A noise is a sensation created in a brain as a result of a series of rapid air movements detected by an ear. In the absence of a functional ear and brain there is no noise just a series of undetected air movements.
On the other hand, if we go to the other extreme and believe that all of reality exists independent of human consciousness than reality is a static existence, suspended in space and time. In this case, all we can do is to observe reality as it unfolds. It will be as predetermined. Free will does not exist. We are simply observers watching as it all unfolds on a screen before us. As human beings, we are external to the universal realm of reality and as those who deny the existence of free will, we cannot be held responsible for what occurs. We are only observers and are, therefore, not entitled to our own facts as suggested by Grangier and Cho or Caslav Brukner.
I prefer taking the mid-ground, merging all of the above into a wonderful admixture that places all of us in the midst of a wonderful combination of realms of objective and subjective reality. What do you think?
God and Faith
I also discussed the question of God in my 2009 book, “A Path To The Gold” and would like to provide this additional, brief update. In “A Path To The Gold”, I concluded my discussion of God by describing my belief. After pointing out that any substantive discussion of God should begin with a definition of what we mean by God. In my opinion, there is no question that the concept of God exists given that the vast majority of the world’s 8+ billion inhabitants believe in God. Recognizing that there is a multitude of definitions of the term God, here is my personal belief.
God being a spiritual concept, is not of the material world but rather of the non-material world. While science is a powerful tool for investigating and describing the material world, it has not yet proven to be useful in investigating and describing the spiritual world. For example, our feelings are of the spiritual, or if you prefer, the non-material world. There is no scientific way anyone else can quantitate or know of my love for my wife or my respect for a former professor, but these are very real and of immense importance to me. For me, God represents an infinite intelligence and power that does not exist as a solitary element outside material reality but rather, as a spiritual component of all of us and, in fact, God exists within every atom of material world existence and all aspects of the spiritual world. God exists all throughout eternity, everyplace in the universe and beyond. If we accept that speck of God within us, it can give us a tremendous spark of faith that provides our bodies with the strength and ability to overcome many of life’s challenges. However, I firmly believe that we must accept one condition to reap the benefits of this. We must always faithfully practice the “Golden Rule”. Treat all others as we would want them to treat us. In this sense, I do not view God as a super human or supreme being but rather as a supreme intelligence, infinitely greater than the sum of all human intelligence, creator of the universe and everything in it. While this may be a much different perspective than that taught by most religions, I personally, am at peace with this perspective but have no intent or desire to impose it on others.
I also mentioned in that 2009 book and previously in this document that I believe man’s knowledge is perhaps only a small fraction of all of the knowledge in the universe. Let’s not overrate our accomplishments in science and technology. Rather, heed those words of one of mankind’s greatest scientists, Isaac Newton. “What we know is a drop, what we do not know is a vast ocean. The admirable arrangement and harmony of the universe could only have come from the plan of an omniscient and omnipotent being”.
Many of the world’s greatest scientists have come to realize this and have come to similar conclusions. Albert Einstein quoted “Everyone who is seriously committed to the cultivation of science becomes convinced that in all of the laws of the universes manifest a spirit vastly superior to man, and to which we with our powers must feel humble”.
The above quotes along with many from other celebrated scientists are attached.
In conclusion, be humble, understand how little we humans actually know and realize the tremendous strength and power we receive by accepting God, as a part of all of us. In accepting this idea, by having faith and by practicing the “Golden Rule”, our achievements are potentially limitless.
I’ve attached an example of the many such documents you can find on the internet, “25 Famous Scientists on God”.
Relativism
I think it’s also important to consider the concept of relativism, a concept that was not discussed in my 2009 book but a concept and perspective that I feel the world now needs. A better understanding of this concept may ameliorate much of the negativity that’s infused our nation and, in fact, the entire world and all of humanity. Some of us may recall discussions of “cultural relativism” in academic studies which focused on international relations and some of the missteps taken by our leaders as we interacted with foreign nations, especially with those far from our shores. Our inclination to judge others based on the values and ideals important in our own nation and culture can and has resulted in unfortunate outcomes in many situations. For example, upon attempting to deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, we made the mistake of believing the Afghan people would really prefer to live as we do in a free democratic nation. That was a terrible miscalculation. Not only were the vast majority of people living in Afghanistan unprepared to be ruled by a central government but they also had no interest in living as a cohesive nation. The Afghan people lived primarily in a tribal structure with their allegiance first to family and then to their tribe. They had no familiarity or trust in an all encompassing single nation. Similarly, our current trouble with Iran likely stems mainly from our miscalculations regarding the will of those people throughout the past century and especially as we supported the former Shaw of Iran, believing he had the best interests of his people in mind. We need to understand that any other culture, including our own, does not have the perspective, background experience or knowledge to appropriately judge another. Thus, we have the central concept of cultural relativism.
There is also another similar relativism we should avoid and that is generational or temporal in nature. Because outlooks, moral values and basic beliefs change with time and especially from one generation to the next, it’s a mistake to look back in time and use our current values and beliefs to judge those of past generations. Thus, we need to heed temporal relativism. For example, our forefathers existed in an entirely different culture than ours today. While we regard slavery as abhorrent today, that was not the case in the 1700’s. Even Thomas Jefferson owned slaves while, at the same time, he expressed disdain for the practice. Our country (culture), at that time was in a period of transition and we have experienced numerous cultural transitions since. So, I say rather than tearing down statues respected by past generations, they should be retained as part of our history and rather than destroying them, use them to teach and remind ourselves of how we have advanced over the years and how our perspectives have improved.
It’s reported that a wise Iroquois chief once said “Don’t judge me until you have walked in my moccasins”
Climate Change
Fourteen years ago I expressed my thoughts on this topic in particular detail in that book “A Path To The Gold”. At this time, I would just like to update that final 2009 conclusion. My 2009 position was that I believed “the primary determinant of global temperature appears to be solar activity”. In support of that conclusion, it was pointed out that “ the energy released by the sun that warms our earth fluctuates naturally with solar activity. With regard to perspective and scale, it should be appreciated that the sun emits more energy each second than the total of all of that resulting from human activity during the entire 200,000 years that humans have been on earth”. My concluding statement was “ We are at the mercy of powerful natural forces, which dwarf the sum total of human capability”.
While today I tacitly accept the concept that human activity, primarily by way of polluting our atmosphere with “greenhouse gases” may be an important enough factor to shift the balance toward atmospheric warming, many questions remain including one enormous question that I fear we either can not or will not solve.
How can we alter our way of life “globally” to reverse this “greenhouse” factor? Can we summon the will, the political cooperation and the ability to accomplish this on a world wide basis? In my opinion, this is such a daunting question that we should spend some effort on improving what life on earth has done for millennia, adapt to a changing world.
I would far prefer us to think of our challenge as one of eliminating the pollution of our environment, air, water and land, rather than thinking about climate change, a factor that I believe we have little control of.
Regardless of how diligent we become in reducing human caused greenhouse materials, mother earth has been changing for billions of years, ice sheets coving all of North America have come and gone a number of times before man existed. Throughout earth’s history there have seemingly been 5 major climatic swings from ice age to warm period, each cycle taking 100,000 years or more. We are currently in a warm period coming out of the last ice age. Keep in mind the perspective that humans have only existed for the last 18 seconds on a scale where the age of the earth is 1 year. The earth has cycled through warm periods and ice ages repeatedly and I don’t expect humans, regardless of what we do will change this. The important perspective is that we are like a colony of tiny ants trying to move Mt. Everest. It may be better to focus on ways to adapt to whatever mother earth (nature) has in store for us. Enjoy the ride. We are passengers on mother mature’s train and God in the engineer.
Concluding Remarks
It’s incredibly easy to fall into the trap of not always being mindful of perspective, probably because it is so crushing to our ego. Whatever we do, there is that strong desire to succeed. We want to look back on our lives and feel that we made significant contributions. That’s good for our self esteem and assures us that our life’s work has been truly worthwhile. On several occasions I’ve noted this in certain very successful individuals, some being notable scientists. Just recently in an Olli class on the universe, the professor said “we know everything about the structure of the universe but we don’t know what dark matter and dark energy are. We just know they must exist in order for the rest of it to make sense.” Consider that statement. In view of the belief that together dark matter and dark energy comprise 95% of the universe, how can knowing everything about 5% allow you to conclude you know everything about its structure? Later, it was also revealed that while our equations explain all about the early inflation of the universe and subsequent events up to the present, we have no idea what either dark energy or dark matter are or how our universe came into being at the beginning. As a student of cosmology I have to question how much of the total body of cosmology do we really know and how much remains unknown. Perhaps we need to remind ourselves of those wise words of Isaac Newton “What we knows a drop what we don’t know is a vast ocean”.
Furthermore, we need to consider that we may have only glimpsed at that 5% of the universe that can be seen. As we peer out into the universe from that which is relatively close to us to that that is very far away, we need to remember that because of the enormous distances involved, the light that gets to us today from the far fringes of the universe has been traveling toward us for billions of years. Thus the images we see today from those galaxies far far away are what they looked like perhaps a billion years ago. We won’t know what they look like in 2023 for another billion years. Correction: You and I will probably never know what they looked like in 2023.
